#dancehallyf

DANCEHALL musicians had to perform behind a fence that was erected on stage at the Zim Dancehall shut-down gig at Harare Gardens on Friday night as show organisers guarded against violence that has characterised some dancehall shows in the capital this year. Dancehall fans are in a habit of throwing objects on stage and Chipaz Promotions, which organised the gig, had to erect the fence as a precautionary measure.

Some people call dancehall a style of music. Dancehall is not a style of music. Dancehall is a place where you go to hear the music, and inside the dancehall you hear everything. It’s a way of playing music, a way of being entertained, a way of life. Dancehall music can be anything from Bob Marley to Tarrus Riley to Chronics to Vybez Kartel. It’s a way of expressing music and people are captivated by it. The styles within dancehall — the fast bashment, you have one drop; roots reggae; everything that makes that sound is dancehall.